What is Muscle Weakness
Does your child struggle to sit or stand? Do they seem to sit limply or tire easily from physical activity? Muscle weakness is caused by a number of initial factors, however, it can limit a child’s capabilities to move, speak or interact with others. If your child seems to have weaker or less muscle control than their peers, a physical therapist might be able to help.
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What is Muscle Weakness?
Muscle weakness is a sustained pattern of muscle weakness where the child is unable to generate normal force or sustain physical effort, compared to their peers. It may affect certain muscle groups, such as the legs or arms, or be generalized throughout the whole body. It can also be temporary or long-term.
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Signs & Symptoms
Many underlying factors may cause muscle weakness in children, from neuromuscular causes to genetic disorders and nutritional deficiencies. Some common overarching causes include:
- In infants, consider:
- “Floppy” or low muscle tone (hypotonia)
- Trouble holding up the head
- Delayed milestones (sitting, crawling, walking)
- Poor suck or feeding difficulties
- Weak cry or lethargy
- For toddlers, be mindful of:
- Difficulty with gross motor skills (running, jumping, climbing)
- Trouble rising from the floor (uses hands to push on legs — Gower’s sign)
- Tires easily with physical activity
- Frequent falls or clumsiness
- Cannot keep up with peers physically
- Poor posture or slumped sitting
- Muscle wasting or visible loss of muscle bulk
If any clusters of these symptoms read as familiar, or you’re noticing a delay in your child, consider reaching out to set up a physical therapy evaluation.
Wondering About Developmental Milestones?
Have questions about your child’s development, or wondering if a certain diagnosis may be a fit? Try out our developmental screening tool— it’s a fast, free way to get a snapshot of your child’s progress on his or her developmental milestones.